Mel Robbins Has Plenty of Advice to Give, but Is She a Therapist?

Over the last decade, motivational speaker Mel Robbins has climbed the fame ladder. Her 2011 TED Talk, “How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over,” basically put her on the map, and she’s gone on to release other works aimed at helping people live a better, healthier life, like The 5 Second Rule and her 2024 book, The Let Them Theory. She’s continued to be given a platform by outlets like NPR and major podcasts like Financial Feminist, so she’s only becoming more widely known.

But as she becomes this powerhouse in the motivational speaking space, her work is often questioned and even criticized. Some say her advice is too basic, while others suggest she took the “Let Them Theory” without giving proper credit. And despite all the differing opinions on what she does, it’s sparked one big question: Is Mel Robbins even a therapist? As in, is she actually a licensed therapist with credentials to be giving this kind of advice? Here’s what we found.

Mel Robbins has a ton of good life advice to give (depending on who you ask), but she isn’t a licensed therapist. The thing is, she doesn’t need to be. That’s because she’s a motivational speaker. Speaking on TED Talks, hosting The Mel Robbins Podcast, and authoring books don’t require any kind of therapy license.

As long as she sticks to offering advice on mindset, life improvement, and ways to change behavior to lead a better, more fulfilling life, and doesn’t cross into actual therapy, diagnoses, or clinical treatment plans, Mel doesn’t need to be a certified therapist or go to school for it.

But Mel does bring licensed professionals onto her show. For example, during her Nov. 24, 2025, episode, she brought on world-renowned therapist Lori Gottlieb, helping listeners to understand why they feel stuck and what to do about it.

In addition to being a motivational speaker, Mel is also a lawyer. She attended Dartmouth College, earning her BA in history, film, and women’s studies between 1986 and 1990, and later went to Boston College Law School from 1991 to 1994, where she earned her JD in litigation and criminal law, per her LinkedIn. That background later positioned her to serve as a legal analyst for CNN for five years, from 2013 to 2018, and to become the founder and CEO of 143 Studios, Inc.

So basically, the work she’s been doing stems from her education and her lived experiences, which, as many of us can attest, can be some of the most priceless forms of guidance someone can offer. A therapy certificate suggests you’ve mastered the bookwork in a specific field, but experiences help you grow and learn, and share your triumphs and mistakes with others so they can do better for themselves.

Mel is married to Christopher Robbins, who is also a motivational pusher who seeks to “empower men to create more meaning, purpose, and peace in life,” per his Instagram bio. He’s also the founder of Soul Degree, a company that offers wilderness-based retreats and mindful programs for men. Mel and Christopher have been married for 29 years. They celebrated the milestone in August 2025, and they share three kids together — a son and two daughters.